Gate-latch.



' No. 728,087. PATENTVED MAY l2, 10903.

, P. DEARDORFF.

GATE LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED OOTB. 1902.v

l llllllllillill Iwan/Z511 Nrrnn Frains Patented May 12, 1903.

PETER DEARDORFF, HAGERSTOWN, INDIANA.

' GATE-LATCH.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 728,087, dated May 12,1903. Application filed October 6, 1902. Serial No. 126,152. (Nomodell.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, PETER DEARDORFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hagerstown, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches; andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which'it appertains to make auduse the same. Y Y

My invention relates to improvements in gate-latches. l

The object of my invention is to provid an efcient gate-latch of simpleand durable construction which may be released from either side topermit the gate to be swung inwardly or outwardly, as may be desired.

The nature of my invention consists of the feature of construction,combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described, andmore particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, and in which like reference characters designate similarand corresponding parts, Figure l is a perspective view of my improvedgatelatch, showing it applied for use. Fig. 2 is a view of the device inelevation with parts of the casing broken away in order to disclose moreclearly the pawls and their arrangement. Fig. 3 is a plan View of oneofthe pawls, and Fig. 4 is a side and front elevation of a guide to beattached to the latch for use in connection with a drive-gate.

Referring to the drawings, l is a gate having a pin l, and 2 ismyimproved latch secured to a fence-post 3 by preferably screws passingthrough slots in the base of the latchcasing. Inclined guides orapproaches 4 to the locking-point of the latch are provided for the pinla, and the lower one of said guides is provided with slots 5, throughwhich pass the tongues 62L of the pawls 6. Each pawl 6 has a handle 6band on opposite sides is provided with recesses 6 6c, through whichpasses the pivoting-pin 7, having its ends bearing in the latch-casing.Upon the pivoting-pin 7 in the recesses 6c 6c is coiled a spring 8,which has its central portion preferably looped around and bearing uponthe -under portion of the tongue and its free ends bearing against theunder side of the lower guide or approach 4. Said-springs normallyretain the pawls 6 in such a position that the tongues 6a will projectthrough the slots 5 and be presented above the surface of the lowerguide 4, so as to catch or retain the pin la of the gate l. Y l

The forward end'of the tongue 6a of each of the pawls 6 has a preferablylaterally-projectinglug 9 and a forwardly-extending arm lO. The arms 10of the opposite pawls laterally lap or come opposite to each other, withtheir lugs 9 engaging opposite arms, respectively. Said lugs 9 alsoserve to limit the upward movement of the forward end of the pawls byengaging the under side of the lower guide 4.

While I have shown and described springs for retaining the pawls 6 inoperative position, I do not wish to limit myself thereto, as it isobvious that the pawls may be so weighted at the handles as toeffectively keep them in operative position.

As shown in the modification as disclosed by Fig. 4, I may substitute inlieu of the upper member 4 of my gate-latch thedevice 1l, comprising abase-plate having vertical spacedapart plates'outstanding'therefrom,with the lower ends of said outstanding plates slightly convergingtoward each other. This device or contrivance is more particularlydesigned for use in connection with gates actuated by the operator whenseated in a vehicle or on horseback, the latch being permitted to rideup as it is disengaged from the latch-post in between said plates ll,while the gate itself has the usual rising or lifting movement when thusactuated until said latch clears the catch on said post. The gate thenbeing moved as in opening the same, the latch will clear thepreviously-engaged catch and be permitted to drop down'upon orpast saidcatch within the limits bound by' said plates below the plane of 'thelowerends of said plates, and thus permit the continued opening of thegate.

My 'latch is adapted to -be'- operated 'from either side, and themovement of one of the pawls will cause the movement of the oppositepawl, by reason of the lug on the firstoperated pawl engaging the arm onthe oppo-` site pawl, thereby releasing the pin 1a at IOO both sides andpermitting the gate to be l swung either inwardly or outwardly. Theslots in the base of the latch, through which pass the means forsecuring it in position, permit the device to be adjusted to thegatepin. This is particularly advantageous when through wear the frontof the gate droops, thereby causing the gate to be out of alinement withthe guides.

It will be observed that the lower guide or approach, upon which thegate-pin rests, prevents the gate from sagging and that the upper guideretains the gate-pin from being raised above the locking-points of thepawls, and thereby releasing the gate.

I do not wish to limit myself to the details of construction andarrangement of parts herein shown and described, as I am fully awarethat changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of myinvention and the same still remain intact and be protected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. A gate-latch comprising opposite pawls each provided with aforwardly-extending arm and laterally of said arm, with a lug, said armsadapted to lap or come opposite to each other,with their lugs engagingopposite arms, respectively.

2. In a gate-latch, the combination of a closure and opposite pawlshaving latch-engaging portions projecting up through slots in saidclosure and having forwardly-extending arms and provided, laterally ofsaid arms, with lugs engaging the lower surface of said closure.

3. A gate-latch composed of a closure and oppositely-arran ged pawlshaving their latchengaging portions arranged in slots of said closureand provided with forwardly-extending lapping arms and, laterally ofsaid arms, with lugs, in combination with a gate-latch.

4. In a gate-latch, the combination of oppositely-arranged pawls havingforwardlyextending lapping arms and, laterally of said arms, lugs, saidlugs adapted to engage said arms, respectively.

5. In a gate-latch, the combination with a casing having slots, ofoppositely pivoted pawls each having recesses on opposite sides and atongue adapted to project'through one of said slots, and springs havingtheir coils arranged in said recesses and looped around said tongue andtheir free ends held by said casing, substantially as set forth.

6. In a gate-latch, the combination of a casing having a top plateadapted to serve as a rest for the gate-pin to prevent the gate fromsagging and provided with openings, oppositelypivoted pawls having theirlockingpoints adapted to project through the openings in said casing anda guide arranged above said casing adapted to prevent the raising of thegate-pin above the locking-points of the pawls and thereby releasing thecatch for the gate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETE R DEARDORFF.

Witnesses:

HENRY WEBER, OLIvER M. DEARDORFF.

